Silenus, the Tutor of Dionysos

Silenus, the Tutor of Dionysos

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The bearded, balding man is Silenus, the aged tutor and companion of Dionysos. The unarticulated arms, sagging skin, and rounded belly of an older mortal contrast with the god’s pose, traditionally used for youthful figures.


Medieval Art and The Cloisters

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Silenus, the Tutor of DionysosSilenus, the Tutor of DionysosSilenus, the Tutor of DionysosSilenus, the Tutor of DionysosSilenus, the Tutor of Dionysos

The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world. Displayed in both The Met Fifth Avenue and in the Museum's branch in northern Manhattan, The Met Cloisters, the collection encompasses the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome in the fourth century to the beginning of the Renaissance in the early sixteenth century. It also includes pre-medieval European works of art created during the Bronze Age and early Iron Age.